Tree felling device

ABSTRACT

A tree cutting blade is fixedly mounted in a support member. Pressure arms pivotally mounted on the support member grapple a tree and draw the cutting blade into the tree toward the pressure arms. Hydraulic means mounted on the support member and coupled to the pressure arms rotate the pressure arms to draw the cutting blade into the tree toward the pressure arms.

0 1 United States Patent 1191 1111 3,785,415 Taponen 5] Jan. 15, 1974 TREE FELLING DEVICE 3,542,100 11/1970 Choat 144 34 R Inventofi Mami Tapollell, Prince George, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS CFmada 311,576 6/1969 Sweden 144/34 R [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization New York, Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost J 14 Attorney-Daniel Jay 21 A 1. No.: 262,775 1 pp 57 ABSTRACT 52 us. ca 144/34 R 144/309 AC A tree cutting blade is fixedly mmmed a Supp 51 1111. c1 .3. A0lg 23/08 member- Pressure arms Pivmany mmmted [58] Field 61 Search 144/2 2 3 D 34 R Port member grapple a and draw the cutting 144/34 E blade into the tree toward the pressure arms. Hydrau- Iic means mounted on the support member and cou- [56] References Cited pled to the pressure arms rotate the pressure arms to v draw the cutting blade into the tree toward the pres- UNITED STATES PATENTS Sure amm 3,468,352 9/1969 Larson et a1. I44/34 E 3,493,020 2/1970 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Choat 144/34 E 1 TREE FELLING DEVICE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tree felling device.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a tree felling device of simple structure which utilizes a thin cutting blade to prevent splitting of the butt of the tree.

An object of the invention is to provide a tree felling device of light weight which functions with efficiency, effectiveness and reliability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tree felling device which may be utilized to grapple and pick up felled trees.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tree felling device which may fell a tree on either the uphill side or the downhill side of a hillside road.

In order that the inventionmay be readily carried into effect, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the tree felling device of the invention in operation;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of the tree felling device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view, taken along the lines 3-3, of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section, taken along the lines 4-4, of FIG. 3. i

In the FIGS, the same components are identified by the same reference numerals.

The tree felling device of the invention comprises a support member 1 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4) of substantially U-shaped configuration having a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs 2 and 3 joined at a corresponding end of each by a head 4 (FIGS. 1 and 3).

A tree cutting blade 5 is fixedly supported in the support member 1 by the legs 2 and 3 and head 4 thereof.

A pair of pressure arms 6 and 7 are pivotally mounted on the support member 1 (FIGS. 1 and 3) for grappling a tree 8 (FIG. 1) and drawing the blade 5 into said tree toward said pressure arms. The pressure arm 6 is mounted at the free end of the leg 2 via a pivot pin 9 (FIG. 3). The pressure arm 7 is mounted at the free end of the leg 3 via a pivot pin 11 (FIG. 3). The pressure arms 6 and 7 rotate toward and away from each other and the cutting blade 5, as shown in FIG. 3.

A hydraulic cylinder 12 is mounted on the support member 1 and coupled to the pressure arm 6 via a coupling pin 13 (FIG. 3) and rotates said pressure arm to draw the cutting blade 5 into the tree 8 toward said pivotally mounted at one end on the post 17 via a pivot pin 19 and affixed at the other end to the support member l. The support post 18 is hydraulically movable at desired angles to the post 17 via a hydraulic cylinder 21 and is hydraulically movable up and down via a hydraulic cylinder 22.

While the invention has been described by means of specific examples and in specific embodiments, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: I

1. A tree felling device, comprising a support member;

a single tree cutting blade fixedly mounted in the support member;

pressure arm means pivotally mounted on the support member for grappling a tree and drawing the cutting blade into the tree toward said pressure arm means, the pressure arm means comprising a pair of pressure arms mounted in spaced relation and adapted to rotate toward and away from each other and the cutting blade; and

hydraulic means mounted on the support member and coupled to the pressure arm means for rotating said pressure arm means to draw the cutting blade into the tree toward said pressure arm means.

2. A tree felling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydraulic means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders each coupled to a corresponding one of the pressure arms.

3. A tree felling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support member is of substantially U-shaped configuration having a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs joined at a corresponding end of each by a head, the cutting blade is supported by the legs and head of the support member, and each of the pressure arms is mounted at the free end of a corresponding one of the legs. 

1. A tree felling device, comprising a support member; a single tree cutting blade fixedly mounted in the support member; pressure arm means pivotally mounted on the support member for grappling a tree and drawing the cutting blade into the tree toward said pressure arm means, the pressure arm means comprising a pair of pressure arms mounted in spaced relation and adapted to rotate toward and away from each other and the cutting blade; and hydraulic means mounted on the support member and coupled to the pressure arm means for rotating said pressure arm means to draw the cutting blade into the tree toward said pressure arm means.
 2. A tree felling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hydraulic means comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders each coupled to a corresponding one of the pressure arms.
 3. A tree felling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support member is of substantially U-shaped configuration having a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs joined at a corresponding end of each by a head, the cutting blade is supported by the legs and head of the support member, and each of the pressure arms is mounted at the free end of a corresponding one of the legs. 